On Thursday evening, the Calgary Flames will play the third of their four scheduled exhibition games as part of their 2026-27 pre-season schedule. And when they suit up against the Seattle Kraken, they’ll have a very interesting player in their lineup.

During his media availability following Wednesday’s practice at the Saddledome, Flames head coach Ryan Huska was asked whether Harrington would get into a game. The answer left little ambiguity in terms of when and why Harrington will get an opportunity to wearing the Flaming C in an organized game setting.

“Harrington’s gonna play tomorrow, yeah,” said Huska. “We’re quite excited. I think he did a great job in the rookie camp when he was here. He was very noticeable in the game against Edmonton. We stuck him in the main group on purpose. At the time, it was to give him experience, so he could see what certain players were like and what the pace was like, but he didn’t look out of place. So he kept getting better and better and I think he’s earned an opportunity to get into the lineup and we’re excited to have him there tomorrow.”

Per QR Calgary’s Pat Steinberg, Harrington skated on a line with Jonathan Castagna and Andrew Basha during Wednesday’s skate, via Pat Steinberg.

A second-round pick of the Flames, 36th overall, in June’s entry draft, Harrington is a left shot winger listed at 6’1″ and 203 pounds and hailing from Prince George, British Columbia. He’s played 194 games with the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs across three full seasons, and he’s emerged as a really unique and exciting blend of size, skill and snarl.

Harrington joined the rest of the Flames’ younger non-college/European prospects at prospects training camp earlier this month, and he’s stuck around while many of his younger counterparts have headed off to Wranglers camp or major junior. He’s been skating with the veteran-laden Team Red practice group so far in main camp, and he hasn’t looked out of place at all.

Because he’s a second-round pick, Harrington isn’t eligible to play in the American Hockey League this season, so he’s destined to return to the Chiefs before the regular season begins. That said, Harrington was afforded an opportunity to basically spend much of the summer in Calgary following the World Junior Summer Showcase, and it looks like he’s made the most of it.

We’re fascinated to see how he looks against the Kraken, and how his extended stay with the Flames this fall will translate into his WHL campaign.

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